P’Harcourt refinery’s support staff protest unpaid salaries, threaten shutdown

Members of the Port Harcourt Refining Company's support staff have staged a protest against unpaid salaries and the non-implementation of a new salary structure recently approved by the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The workers gave the NNPCL management a 48-hour ultimatum to address the issues or face the total shutdown of the refinery.

The protesting workers, who blocked the entrance to the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) on Monday, displayed placards with various messages and set up tents in front of the PHRC gate, disrupting work activities at the complex. They alleged that the GCEO's approval of the new salary structure was ignored by the refinery coordinator due to his close ties with the Presidency.

The union members demanded the implementation of the approved salary structure, the approval of a housing/rent relief of N1 million, the payment of their seven months' overdue salaries, and improved consultation among refinery officials and recognized labor representatives. Some of the protest placards read "No more empty promises, January 2027 is too far to implement new salary structure," "Refinery Coordinator must go," and "Approved by GCEO on 1st October, rejected by RC (Refinery Coordinator), Support Staff demands that RC must go."

The protest leader, Bennett Isy, accused the refinery coordinator of insubordination and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.